Window-screen



(No Model.) I

L.B.KENNEY? v WINDOW SCREEN. No. 469,300. Patented Feb. 23,, 1892;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LESTER B. KENNEY, OF CHARLOTTE, MICHIGAN.

WINDOW-SCREEN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,300, dated February 23, 1892.

- Application filed April 29, 1891. Serial No. 390,908- (No model.) 7

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LESTER B. KENNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, in the county of Eaton and State of hilichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vindow Screens, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a portion of a window provided with my improved screen; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view thereof; Fig. 3, partly a side and sectional elevation of the spring-actuated roller or cyl inder, and Fig.4 a transverse section thereof.

My invention has relation to that class of window-screens in which the screen is wound upon a spring-actuated cylinder or roller journaled upon the Window-sill and has its free ed ge secured to the lower edge of the window-sash, so that in raising and lowering the sash the screen'will also be raised and lowered and always cover the opening below the sash; and it consists in certain novel details of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly set forth in the claim appended.

In the drawings my improved screen is shown as applied to an ordinary house-window; but it is evident that it may be readily applied to car or other windows with equal advantage.

The screen a is of the proper width to fit the window closely, and it has its upper edge secured to the lower edge of the lower sash of the Window. The screen is wound upon a spring-actuated cylinder 17, journaled upon circular flanges 0, formed upon metal brackets c, secured to theinner sides of the windowframe near the sill, the said circular flanges projecting into the open ends of the cylinder and serving to support and retain it in position. A curved depending hood dis secured along the outer side of the lower sash near its lower edge, and is adapted toextend down over the rolled screen when the sash is lowered, thereby effectually protecting the screen from the weather.

The brackets are provided with two radial There are two reversely-coiled actuatingsprings e e inclosed within the cylinderb, each extending one-half the length thereof and performing one-half the work of winding the screen when the sash is lowered. The outer ends of the springs are respectively bent or turnedinwardly and secured rigidly in square wooden blocks 0 said blocks being secured against displacement and rotation by screws 0, and respectively resting in sockets or flanges 0 formed on the inner faces of the brackets. The inner ends of these reverselycoiled springs are secured to the cylinder in any suitable manner about midway its length, the preferred mode. of attaching the inner ends to the cylinder being to pass the same through an opening in the latter and rigidly secure them by solder or otherwise, as shown most clearly at c in Fig. 3. The tendency of the springs is to wind the screen upon the cylinder, as is obvious.

Any suitable sash-holding device may be employed to hold the sash up against the action of the springs. For instance, a flat spring f may be secured in a recess in the frame and adapted to normally engage suit able notches in the adjacent edges of the sash, a thumb-piece or knob f being provided for convenientlydisengagingthe saidspringwhen it is desired to lower the sash.

It will be observed that my improved screen may be used without anychange of construction in four different places on the windownamely, first, as shown in the drawings; second, upon the inside of the window-sill and attached to lower sash; third, upon the top of the window-frame and attached to the upper sash outside, and, fourth, upon the upper end of. the window-frame and attached to the inside of the upper sash. The hood cl need only be employed when the cylinder is located outside of the sash.

' The advantages of employing two springs to perform the winding operation are that more elasticity and flexibility is obtained, while at the same time the winding tendency is not so strong as to prevent the sash being readily raised. It has been found in practice that a single spring extending the full length of the cylinder and possessing the required amount of durability and torsional strength is too strong to enable the sash to be readily raised. Hence the use of a pair of reverselycoiled springs extending only half or a portion of the length of the cylinder. The springs are shown as being each constructed of two strands of elastic Wire; but of course they may in practice be constructed of one or more strands.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of brackets adapted to be secured to the frame of the window at the sill,

these brackets being provided with inwardlyprojecting circular flanges c and sockets c, a cylinder journaled on the flanges c, a pair of reversely-coiled springs inclosed in said cylinder, the inner ends of these springs being passed through an opening in the center of the cylinder and secured and their outer ends being secured in said sockets c and a screen Wound on said cylinder and adapted to be connected to the window-sash, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LESTER B. KENNEY. Witnesses:

O. D. OHILsoN, T. A. PERRY. 

